D&B

Credit card payoff calculator

Payoff date for $5,000 at 24.99%, paying $250.00/monthworked example

November 1, 2028

Time to zero
2 yr 3 mo
Total interest
$1,534.53
Total paid
$6,534.53
First month's interest
$104.13What the debt costs you monthly right now

Paying $250.00 every month clears this balance in 2 yr 3 mo and costs $1,534.53 in interest on top of the $5,000 borrowed. Interest is computed monthly on the declining balance; issuers compound daily, so a real statement can differ by a few dollars.

Enter a balance, APR, and monthly payment to get your payoff date, months to zero, and total interest, computed month by month on the declining balance. Raise the payment to see how much sooner the card clears and how much interest you avoid. Everything runs in your browser.

How to use this calculator

  1. 1

    Find your balance and APR on the statement

    Use the "new balance" figure, not the "current balance" your app shows mid-cycle — the statement number is what interest is charged on. The APR is in the interest charge calculation box, usually on the last page. If more than one rate is listed, use the one carrying most of your balance.

  2. 2

    Enter the payment you can actually repeat

    The math only works if the payment happens every month, so enter the number you can sustain, not your best month. You can test a stretch figure afterwards — the point of the calculator is comparing repeatable scenarios, and a payment you abandon in month three is not a scenario.

  3. 3

    Read the months first, then the interest

    The payoff date is the headline, but the total interest line is what changes your behavior: it is the price of the timeline you chose. Nudge the payment up $25 and watch both move — the second result is the one worth screenshotting.

  4. 4

    Check the interest-only threshold

    If your payment is close to the monthly interest figure, most of your money is renting the debt rather than repaying it. The calculator flags a payment that never pays off; anything near that line deserves the same suspicion even when it technically clears.

  5. 5

    Save your date if you want it to mean something

    A payoff date you looked at once is trivia; one you check against reality each month is a plan. Saving keeps the plan in your own browser — nothing is uploaded — and the site can show you whether your date is moving closer or drifting away.

Everything you type here is computed in your browser. Nothing you enter is stored on a server, sent anywhere, or shared — there is no account, and your balances never leave your device.

Frequently asked questions

How is the payoff date calculated?
Each month the calculator adds interest (balance times APR divided by 12), subtracts your payment, and repeats until the balance reaches zero. The payoff date is that final month. Card issuers actually compound daily on your average daily balance, so a real statement can differ by a few dollars — the month count is what matters.
What APR should I enter?
Use the purchase APR from your latest statement — it is listed in the interest charge calculation box, usually near the end. If different balances on the same card carry different rates (a cash advance, an expired promo), the statement lists each; use the rate attached to most of your balance.
Why does the calculator say the balance never pays off?
If your monthly payment is smaller than the first month's interest, the balance grows instead of shrinking and no payoff date exists. The fix is any payment above the interest-only figure — the calculator shows that threshold so you can see exactly where the line is.
Does paying twice a month change the result?
Slightly, in your favor. Issuers charge interest on your average daily balance, so money that arrives mid-cycle lowers the average and trims the interest. This calculator uses the standard monthly convention, so treat its result as a conservative estimate — extra mid-cycle payments only help.
Is anything I type uploaded?
No. The math runs entirely in your browser and your balance, rate, and payment are never transmitted to us or anyone else. If you use the save feature, the plan is stored in your browser's own localStorage on your device, which you can clear at any time.

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